Construction sites are common across Massachusetts. As cities and towns grow, new homes, office buildings, and businesses go up to accommodate expanding economies and populations. Unfortunately, construction sites are dangerous places, and the people who work there are often at risk of serious injury. If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence on a construction site, you should speak to a lawyer right away.
Construction accidents may vary, but common accidents often include falls, exposure to toxic or hazardous materials, and serious lacerations or even amputations. Just as accidents can vary from case to case, so may the people who are responsible. Contractors who hire workers, manufacturers of faulty tools, and property owners are just a few examples of people often held liable for construction accidents. These or other parties may be responsible for your damages, such as economic losses, non-economic injuries, and possibly more.
For a free initial review of your case, call our construction accident lawyers with the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.
Common Construction Accidents and Injuries
Construction sites often have a myriad of moving parts, and danger lurks around almost every corner. While a great many accidents are possible, falling accidents, exposure to toxic materials, and severe lacerations are just a few common examples.
Falling Accidents
Falling accidents are among the most common accidents on construction sites. You might fall from the top of a ladder, from a second-story window, or off a high roof. Even a fall from a relatively short distance can cause serious injuries, and you might be in very bad shape.
To prevent falls, the individuals in charge of construction sites (e.g., contractors, project managers, foremen) should implement safety procedures and regularly inspect safety equipment. In your case, the ladder might have been faulty and collapsed under you. Alternatively, someone might have ignored safety procedures and failed to secure the ladder before you climbed it.
Exposure to Dangerous Materials
Materials used in construction are not always safe. Workers often must take certain precautions or wear special safety gear when handling toxic or hazardous building materials. For example, the insulation commonly found inside the walls of many homes and buildings is dangerous to handle with bare hands. The material often resembles pink cotton candy but is actually made of fiberglass and can be irritating to the skin and potentially hazardous to the lungs if inhaled.
If you were injured or became ill from exposure to hazardous materials, it may have been because safety equipment, such as gloves or breathing masks, was unavailable or failed to function properly.
Lacerations and Amputations
Cuts and scrapes are common on construction sites, but sometimes they can be severe and need urgent medical care. Some people are so badly but that they lose fingers, hands, or entire limbs. Severe lacerations or amputations tend to occur when a worker is using heavy-duty machinery. You might have been injured by a defective circular saw or caught in some other piece of large machinery.
If you believe you were injured because someone else was negligent, talk to an attorney immediately. The loss of a limb is very serious and may warrant substantial compensation.
People Responsible for Construction Accidents in Falmouth
The person or people whom our construction accident lawyers should name in your injury case will depend on how the accident happened, who was present, and who was in charge. This may include the contractor who hired you, the manufacturer of faulty equipment, the property owners, and maybe more.
Contractors
When it comes to construction projects, contractors typically run the show. The property owner or construction company may hire a general contractor to head the project and hire the necessary workers. The general contractor may hire numerous subcontractors to handle specific jobs, such as electrical wiring, plumbing, drywall, and more.
You may sue the contractor who hired you if you are injured in an accident. General contractors are typically responsible for safety across the entire site, while subcontractors are responsible for safety around their specific jobs. Talk to an attorney to determine which of these contractors you might include in your case.
Manufacturers
As described above, accidents on construction sites often occur because tools or equipment are defective and unsafe. We can sue the manufacturer if you were hurt by a defective tool. We must be prepared to demonstrate that you were unaware of the defect and that you were using the tool safely and for its intended purpose when it malfunctioned. We should save the defective tool to use as evidence in your case.
Property Owners
The people who own the property where construction is happening are often not liable for accidents. In most cases, property owners step back from the project after contractors are hired. However, property owners sometimes are more involved in the construction and might be implicated in an accident.
For example, if the property owner provided equipment or tools that malfunctioned and injured you, they may be held liable. Alternatively, if the accident happened because of unsafe conditions that the owner knew about but failed to disclose, they might be liable for the accident.
Gathering Evidence to Support Your Construction Accident Case
Evidence for your case will likely come straight from the construction site where you were injured. We can start by gathering records related to the construction project. For example, safety and inspection records may indicate how long unsafe conditions on the premises existed and whether your employer was aware of them.
If defective tools or equipment played a role in the accident, we should collect the tools as physical evidence. We can also have them inspected to determine if they were indeed defective and how the defect might have happened.
Witness testimony may also be crucial. Construction accidents often happen where other workers can see. Your coworkers might have seen something important and can shed light on how the accident happened. Even if they were not present for the accident, witnesses might have personal knowledge about the hazardous conditions on the construction site that caused the accident.
Speak to Our Falmouth Construction Accident Attorneys About Your Injuries Today
For a free initial review of your case, call our construction accident lawyers with the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.